Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover for the wheels of an in-line roller skate. In particular, the invention is a portable cover for the wheels of an in-line roller skate for immobilizing the wheels and protecting the wheels of the skate. Once in place, the cover will allow the individual to walk freely on a smooth surface. Once disengaged, the unique cover will facilitate storage by wrapping same around ones body.
With the increasing popularity of in-line roller skating there is a real need for such a portable cover. Many businesses forbid roller skaters on their premises, and therefore the skaters must remain outside of such areas or remove the skates before entering them. Such regulations are unsatisfactory for both the skater and business men. The skater is frustrated and the business man is disappointed by the loss of potential customers.
It thus, is desirable for skaters to be provided with some form of device that mounts easily and quickly to the in-line roller skates to immobilize the wheels and provide a walking surface, thereby allowing the skater to walk while wearing the skates. In addition, the device must easily store so that the skater when back skating will not be encumbered by a lumbering device.
A cover for the wheels of a roller skate is taught by Grim in U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,474. The patent addresses the problem of covering the wheels of a conventional roller skate. Grim teaches a sheet type cover which hook to the end of the skate structure mounting, covering the spaced pairs of wheels with a flat, rectangular sheet. The sheet cover provides a surface or sole in which a skater may walk, when not on the skating rink. The roller skate sole of the patent is not practical for use on a roller blade skate because of the wheel alignment of the skate. Further, the Grim teaching addresses the problems of covering wheels on conventional roller skates, taking into account that the conventional roller skate has a wheel arrangement that provides a rectangular, almost square, area with which to work with.
Kassal discloses a roller blade skate wheel cover in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,065. This patent addresses an in-line skate configuration but provides a bulky device which when removed is cumbersome to store, and is not easily adjustable for varying lengths of skates. There is an adjustment feature whereby the second bridal can be re-positioned. A screw must be loosened and the positioned changed manually. This is all cumbersome and not easy for one to do in a hurry.
Anderson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,224 relates to a walker attachment for in-line skates. The device is a solid cumbersome piece which snaps on to an in-line blade to allow one to walk on a level surface. Again, once a device is removed it is cumbersome to hold and further, the device has no adjustability feature which can be instantaneously employed.
Ragin III, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,292 addresses a way to provide a pad which will allow one to walk on a surface while wearing a roller in-line roller skate type configuration. The pad can be somehow attached in a cumbersome way to the boot of the device or actually worn when the skates are removed as sandals. Again, this device is not easily storable and not easily adjustable without the removal of varying screw configurations.